March 28, 2024

Lynnville-Sully boys snare five automatic qualifiers for Class1A state track, win team championship

BELLE PLAINE — Five automatic qualifiers and another Class 1A state qualifying meet championship was all in a night’s work for Lynnville-Sully’s boys. The Hawks claimed the team championship at the 1A meet Thursday hosted by Belle Plaine.

Most important the Hawks qualified for the 2017 Iowa High School Track and Field Championships with two relays and three individuals. They await word to see if several other events qualify in the Class 1A competition as at-large bids.

In Class 1A, the top place winner in each event from each qualifying meet advances to the state meet. Then the next 14 best performances statewide from qualifying meets advance.

“Our game plan was to give as many guys as possible a chance to run at state while still trying to win the meet and that is exactly what we did,” Lynnville-Sully head coach Mike Parkinson said. “We are hopeful a number of events get in outside the five automatic qualifiers, but no matter what happens we are very proud of our guys and the efforts they’ve put in this year.”

Tyson Vander Linden claimed gold medals in the 400-meter dash and in the 400 hurdles. He edged teammate Corey McCoy in the 400 meters, 52.00 to 52.19 seconds. In the 400 hurdles, Vander Linden won in 55.54 seconds with teammate Brevin Hansen in third at 59.27.

Vander Linden anchored the gold-medal winning 4x400 relay for the Hawks. He was joined by Gage Vander Leest, McCoy and Carson Dunsbergen to win the final race of the meet in 3 minutes, 30.54 seconds.

Ryan Hofer was the gold medal winner in the 110-meter hurdles in 15.77 seconds and Vander Leest was second in 15.94. Earlier, Vander Leest and Hofer combined with Carson Dunsbergen and Caden Dunsbergen to win the shuttle hurdle relay race in 1:01.65.

The Hawks’ 800-meter sprint medley relay team of Sage Zylstra, Nate Stock, Vander Linden and McCoy was second in 1:36.37. Carson Dunsbergen placed third in the high jump, clearing the bar at 6-feet event and Drake Ehresman tied for severing at 5-4.

Taking third in the shot put was Rylan James with a throw of 46-9. Jesse Van Wyk’s throw of 120 feet was good for sixth in the disucs and James was eighth at 107-4. Ehresman placed sixth in the long jump at 19-10.

Lynnville-Sully’s 4x800 relay team of Cody Gibbs, Luke Jones, Ty Breededn and Hansen was fourth in 9:09.62. The 4x100 relay foursome of Caden Dunsbergen, Hofer, Stock and Zylstra was fifth in 46.44.

Josh Dunsbergen ran sixth in the 1,600 meters in 11:32.09. The 4x200 relay team of Caden Dunsbergen, Hansen, Ehresman and Stock finished sixth in 1:39.38. The 1,600 distance medley relay team of Kemper Lukehart, Kinnick McFarland, Jones and Gibbs was eighth in 4:11.24.

“It was a great night to run for the Hawks. We started the night strong in the field events and running events and carried it through the night,” Parkinson said.

A complete list of all state meet qualifiers will be announced the Iowa High School Athletic Association on Friday afternoon. Those qualifying will compete in the all-class state track meet Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Drake University’s stadium in Des Moines.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com